Dartford caretaker manager Tony Burman says entire first-team squad start afresh while he remains in charge

Caretaker Dartford manager Tony Burman insists the slate has been wiped clean for the squad he has inherited.

Burman has watched every first-team game so far this season in his role as a club director.

But he can only judge the players on what he sees under his stewardship and is keen that everyone gets a fresh start.

“I’ve not watched any training sessions, I stay out of the way of that, but I had watched every game we’ve played this season,” explained Burman.

“I enjoy that, sometimes I’m asked for my opinion and sometimes I’m not.

“I just feel that for me to have any sort of respect from the players, I’ve got to say to them that whatever has gone on in the past has gone and we have to wipe the slate clean.

“I’m not a director in this situation, I’m the manager. It’s important we give the players a fresh impetus and hopefully they respond to that.

“I think they were very close and they’ve been very unfortunate to concede goals after 90 minutes of games. We’ve been in good, winning positions and we’ve drawn games that we should have won.

“Everyone knows that and we need to remind the players what’s good and bad, what’s a good habit and what isn’t a good habit. That will help us through and that’s what we’re going to try and put across to them.”

With last weekend’s trip to Bath postponed due to a frozen pitch, Burman has yet to name a starting XI and have to leave people out of his side.

That all starts this Saturday at Princes Park when Dartford host Weymouth in National League South and Burman can’t wait to get going.

“I was disappointed not to have a game last weekend because everything we’ve done with the players at the moment has been positive,” he said.

“Once the games start, there’s obviously going to be players